Saudi Arabia vows 'serious response' after Houthi airport attacks

Saudi Arabia has vowed a 'serious response' to a series of attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement on its airports and energy infrastructure, according to Energy Minister Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman ^[1]. The latest strike hit a terminal at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Sunday, killing a Pakistani national and injuring 11 others, just two days after a similar attack killed 13 people and forced the terminal’s closure.

The Houthis claimed responsibility, stating the strikes were retaliation for what they describe as 'brutal Saudi aggression' in western Yemen ^[1]. They also reported that a child was killed and six others injured in a Saudi air strike on a home in Sanaa on the same day, though Saudi authorities have not confirmed the incident.

The conflict, which began in 2014 when the Houthis seized control of Sanaa, has intensified since July, when the group announced a 'maritime embargo' on Saudi Arabia and began launching missile and drone attacks on key infrastructure ^[1]. The attacks have disrupted oil exports through the Red Sea, contributing to a surge in global oil prices, especially after the Houthis seized areas around the Bab al-Mandab Strait last month.

In response, the Yemeni government launched a new offensive to reclaim territory, claiming early gains with support from Saudi air strikes, though the Houthis deny losing any ground ^[1]. The Saudi-led coalition continues to back pro-government forces battling the Houthis along the Red Sea coast.

The situation remains volatile, with both sides escalating their actions despite a fragile four-year informal ceasefire that has now collapsed ^[1]. The international community watches closely as regional tensions threaten to destabilise global energy markets. The story was first reported by BBC News.